This pilot study extends current community based cardiovascular risk reduction efforts to include a focus on diabetes (DM), a health problem found in disproportionately high numbers of African Americans. A portion of the risk for DM is attributable to obesity, dietary intake, and lack of physical activity - remedial lifestyle factors beneficial in the control and prevention of DM. Studies show that diets of African Americans contain higher than recommended amounts of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, and lower quantities of fiber. In addition, they undertake less leisure time activity than whites. To address the dietary and physical activity needs in overweight urban African Americans with and at risk for DM, the specific aims are to: 1) utilize the ongoing Heart, Body, and Soul Program to a. assess the cultural relevance of obesity and relate attitudes, knowledge, social support, and eating and physical activity patterns and b. developing a culturally derived weight loss program in an African American church setting; 2) demonstrate the feasibility of recruiting and retaining 25 urban African Americans with or at risk for DM in a 12 week pilot weight loss program; and 3) determine a. intervening variables including changes in eating and physical activity patterns, and b. short term outcomes including changes in weight, body fat distribution, fasting glucose, insulin, and lipid profiles, and blood pressure. The partnership between Clergy United for Renewal of East Baltimore (sponsor of the Heart, Body, and Soul Program) and Johns Hopkins enables planning a three phase program: 1) needs assessment including focus groups, and designing interventions, 2) a pilot intervention study to change eating and physical activity patterns, and 3) evaluation and preparation of proposal for a full scale trial to test the interventions and methods developed and implemented in this pilot study. This study is significant because it 1) derives the interventions from the community itself assuring cultural relevance, 2) provides strong potential for "ownership" and sustainability because it utilizes existing influential social structure, the church, and 3) can meet the aims at low cost because of current and past community work of the investigators and the Center for Health Promotion.